Krabi’s reputation as a tourist destination on the Andaman coast needs no promotion. But apart from its famous beaches and islands, the province has several important archaeological sites, including the oldest site in Thailand and Asia, the Lang Rongrien Rockshelter. A recent Fine Arts Department trip to Krabi revealed the significance of these archaeological sites as well as man’s impact on them.

“The Lang Rongrien site was surveyed by Prof Douglas Anderson from Brown University in 1983-5. At 40,000 years old, it is the oldest site in Asia. Pieces of bones from the Neanderthals were found there,” said Praphid Phongmas, senior archaeologist. A number of objects, including three pedestaled pots, pottery, stone tools and animal bones, were also unearthed.

About 3km from the Lang Rongrien site is the Khao Na Wang Mi archaeological site on a range of limestone mountains. There is evidence of prehistoric humans here, with temporary shelters and graveyards 2,000-4,000 years old (New Stone Age) being found.